Supreme Court sets oral arguments on Maharlika funds, GAA petitions
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The Supreme Court (SC) Tuesday set on April 2025, the oral arguments for the petitions questioning the legality of the General Appropriations Act of Fiscal Year 2025 and the Maharlika Investment Fund (MIF) of 2023.
SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting, in a press briefing, said the high court set the oral arguments for the petition filed by former executive secretary and senatorial aspirant Vic Rodriguez to declare the 2025 national budget as unconstitutional.
This will be held at the En Banc Session Hall, SC Baguio Compound.
Aside from Rodriguez, other petitioners are Davao City 3rd District Representative Isidro Ungab, Rogelio Mendoza, Benito Ching Jr., Redemberto Villanueva, Roseller dela Peña, Santos Catubay, and Dominic Solis.
This is over the alleged irregularities and supposed blank items in the bicameral conference committee report.
Meanwhile, the oral arguments for the petition seeking the declaration of the MIF as unconstitutional and void was set on April 22, Tuesday at the En Banc Session Hall in Baguio.
Ting said the SC also impleaded (added as a third party) the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Land Bank of the Philippines, and the Development Bank of the Philippines as respondents.
It directed them to file their comments within 10 days from receipt of notice.
The petition was filed by Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares, and former Bayan Muna Representatives Isagani Zarate and Ferdinand Gaite, and Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III in September 2023.
The petitioners argued that MIF failed to satisfy the test of economic viability, violated the independence of the BSP, and that the presidential certification of the MIF bill in the House of Representatives and in the Senate did not comply with the requirements under the Philippine Constitution.